Leaving, Leaving, Gone
by Echostorm
Summary: This is a challenge for the M. A. S. forum. Admin: Hawk of the Blazing Sun. Hope you like it!


**I have never written a fanfic like this. Tell me what you think! Thanks!**

(Smoketail's POV)

Smoketail was caught under Willowthorn's fury.

"You haven't seen the kits in three days! It's almost their apprentice ceremony! Look at Ashfall, or Emberstep! They play with their kits!" Willowthorn yowled.

Ashfall and Emberstep looked around, not wanting to be caught in the middle of it, and Emberstep went up to the deputy, Rainheart, and started hurriedly striking up a conversation about patrols.

"I would leave you if it weren't for our kits," Willowthorn snarled, "and you'd better be at their apprentice ceremony." The angry she-cat stormed back inside the nursery while Smoketail was still as stone.

Soon the tom sighed and stalked over to the exit miserably, hoping to get out into the forest. The green leaves of new leaf were coming. The ThunderClan tom effortlessly climbed into a tree.

_What should I do? _Smoketail wondered. He resolved to stay at camp all say tomorrow, waiting for the ceremony. That might appeal him to his mate.

He loved Willowthorn, but sometimes she made it hard for him. Or he made it hard for her. He shook his head, and stared into the moon, as it made its way across the sky.

Suddenly realizing it was moonhigh, he stretched his stiff muscles and made his way down the tree and padded back to camp.

(Willowthorn's POV)

Willowthorn was sitting in the nursery, fuming, while her kits, Olivekit, and Cinderkit, were talking quietly. They had heard their parent's argument.

_Maybe I shouldn't have been so rough with him, _wondered Willowthorn. She called her kits to her, mewing, "You have your ceremony tomorrow. Get some sleep." The kits nodded, and without arguing, curled up. Willowthorn followed them, closing her eyes but still thinking.

(Smoketail's POV)

When Smoketail woke, it was dawn, and most of the warriors were up already. He blinked several times and got to his paws. Before he went out of the den, he washed himself, resigning to a day in camp, waiting for his kit's ceremony.

Rainheart was assigning the morning patrols. "Crowwing, lead a hunting patrol to Sunning Rocks. Try to catch something around there. Take Ashfall and Smoketail with you. I suppose someone will have to get him – there he is."

Smoketail went up to the deputy as the cats organized their patrols. "I'm waiting for my kit's apprentice ceremony. Can I go on a patrol later?" The tom asked.

"No," the deputy replied, "You have to go on patrol. But I'll have a word with Birchstar." He meowed, naming the ThunderClan leader.

Smoketail nodded at Rainheart. "Thank you." He mewed, and then ran to catch up with his patrol.

(Willowthorn's POV)

Willowthorn was just coming out of the nursery at this moment, after settling her kits down. "He's leaving?" She exclaimed. Letting out a snarl, she ducked back inside and started licking her kits clean.

No one was brave enough to explain to her Smoketail's request, so all the cats in the clearing continued with their normal duties. Even the apprentices were stalling, trying to wait before they had to clean out the nursery.

Smoketail returned from his patrol at sunhigh. He started toward Willowthorn, and then stopped as she threw him a look of contempt and turned away. Hurt glittered in his eyes as he hurried to sit beside Dapplenose.

(Smoketail's POV)

_Doesn't she understand? _Thought Smoketail_, I asked to wait for the ceremony. _

Birchstar was waiting on top of the Highrock, calling for the Clan, "Every cat old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock," he meowed, his voice ringing around camp.

"I have a very important ceremony to perform today!" He mewed, "the making of new apprentices." He turned to the two kits, who were waiting outside the nursery. "Olivekit and Cinderkit, come here." When the two cats approached, he went on.

"Olivekit**_, _**you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Olivepaw. Your mentor will be Fallowpelt. I hope Fallowpelt will pass down all she knows on to you." He then said the same words to Cinderkit, giving her Robinspots as her mentor.

The two new apprentices gave an exited bounce when they were finished, and the rest of the Clan welcomed them enthusiastically. "Olivepaw! Cinderpaw!"

Smoketail yowled to the sky, proud of his kits.

Soon after the two apprentices left the camp, going for some training with their mentors.

(Willowthorn's POV)

It had been one moon and Willowthorn was still not talking to her mate. When she was, it was brisk and conversation never lasted long. There was never so much tension between them.

Willowthorn's daughters were getting assessed today. If they were lucky, they might have their final assessment soon.

"Willowthorn! Smoketail!" Olivepaw came dashing into camp.

At once, her mother and father were on their daughter, asking questions.

"It's Cinderpaw!" She wailed. "She's been caught on the Thunderpath!"

"Scorchpelt!" Smoketail meowed urgently, naming the ThunderClan medicine cat. "Come on!" The tabby tom stuck his head out of the medicine den, grabbed some herbs, and the four cats raced through the forest, with Olivepaw leading them.

When they reached the Thunderpath, the four cats found Cinderpaw lying motionless on the hard black ground. Scorchpelt and Smoketail dragged the apprentice into the grass. When they got there, Scorchpelt stood up and shook his head.

Willowthorn glared at the medicine cat, her voice choked with grief. "You're a medicine cat! Do something!"

Scorchpelt just looked sadly at the other three cats. "I'm sorry," he meowed softly. "She's on her way to StarClan."

Olivepaw whimpered, crouching close to her mother. Smoketail yowled and his claws tore at the grass. The ThunderClan medicine cat looked around, seeing that the family wanted to be alone, he dipped his golden head and left.

(Smoketail's POV)

Smoketail stared straight into Willowthorn's eyes without flinching. "I'm sorry." He meowed simply.

His mate seemed too sad to retort. Instead she sighed and stared back. "I love you, Smoketail. But we can't do this anymore." She replied.

The smoky tom touched noses with his mate. "We'll still have Olivepaw."

Willowthorn shook her head and pulled away. "I'm leaving," she mewed.

Without hesitating, she got up and padded away to the camp.

Smoketail watched her with longing, heartbroken. Then he realized it was the best thing to do. "I love you, too." He whispered to the empty night.

**And in case you noticed this in the story - yes, I see the resemblance. Cinderpaw, accident on the Thunderpath. I meant for that to happen. In case you're confused, this takes place in the old forest, before Firestar was born. **


End file.
